Hi.
I am new here since I got NBSD on my laptop a few days ago.
The screen become black and doesn't respond anymore.
I can see a few console line from X right before it darkens,
but redirected to some files, the error output is empty, and
the regular output contains mere binary data, while the 'file' command
doesn't recognize.
So I am stuck with it and I can't what's behind.
What more could I do to figure out the problem ?
I precise I am far from being a full fledged debugger,
though I could be if precise instructions are given.

I did not have configured xdm for a graphical logon,
but now I've done, and nothing has changed.
This is a new install, but I logged in in CLI from the start.
Every time I start startx or let the XDM service at startup run,
the screen turn off.
At the end of the script of the command 'Xorg -configure',
is output 'Number of created screens does not match number of
detected devices. Configuration failed.'
What else can I do ?

At the end of the script of the command 'Xorg -configure',
is output 'Number of created screens does not match number of
detected devices. Configuration failed.'
What else can I do ?

Although the 'Xorg -configure' fails, does it leave behind an xorg.conf.new with anything useful in it at all? I am thinking you could try to write your own xorg.conf file by hand, and that could be a place to start working from.

Also, if you could attach a dmesg output that might help people identify pieces of your hardware.

It produces a xorg.conf. I never put my nose into X, so I am not sure.
I think it's a dull one, because at the "Monitor Section" no true value of the fields
are given, just things as "Monitor0", "Monitor Vendor" and the likes.

What I meant in my post is to not use the graphical XDM login because that tries/use X Window.

Do I under you correctly that if you disable ACPI you cannot do a 'normal' text-only login?
and that by leaving ACPI on you can a text-based login?

Rephrasing the request of IdOp:

Does #Xorg -configure' produce a xorg.conf.new file? If yes please post it.
Also the output of /var/log/Xorg.0.log. Because this file can be quite long, paste it on something like http://pastebin.ca/ with an expiration date of 1 month

If you want to have this resolved quickly you could ask on a NetBSD irc channel.

__________________
You don't need to be a genius to debug a pf.conf firewall ruleset, you just need the guts to run tcpdump

It produces a xorg.conf. I never put my nose into X, so I am not sure.
I think it's a dull one, because at the "Monitor Section" no true value of the fields
are given, just things as "Monitor0", "Monitor Vendor" and the likes.

Given that you are able to run "Xorg -configure", it sounds like you are able to log in at the console. That's good.

The empty-ish monitor section in xorg.conf.new is nothing to worry about. Usually the settings needed for a modern monitor can be auto-detected, so there's no need to fill a lot in there.

My general aim is to suggest trying to make an xorg.conf based around the VESA video driver. This should be stable and might get X working for you (if there are no other problems). VESA has a reputation of being slow, and may not have high enough resolution for a large desktop monitor (e.g., 1920x1080). But you have a laptop, if it's a typical 1366x768, that's supported by VESA driver (I use it on my laptop). As for speed I find the VESA driver fast enough to play videos ... the radeon hardware in the laptop is probably just that powerful.

It still would be good to see your dmesg, xorg.conf.new and Xorg.0.log as suggested by J65nko. If you are not familiar enough with unix commands to gather and attach these to your post, let us know where the difficult points are and we can walk you through it.

I do can text-only logon.
Here is Xorg.0.log : http://pastebin.ca/2388469
It is more funny for me and those who could have the same problem as me;
It doesn't matter if it's not done the mere day, because I have an other reliable PC.
Let's do it together !
And here is xorg.conf.new :

hmmm... I'm not an expert, but I think that radeon driver is blanking a monitor...
Hmmm... Check out vesa, maybe it'll work...

edit1
Uh, sorry... IdOp said it already
edit2
My suspicion may be easy to falsify: When "blank" X starts up, open up a terminal "blindly" in some keyboard-driven WM and try to, dunno... Killall X or sth ;-)

I was about to post a couple of ideas (one was how to try vesa), but the above posts are full of good ideas to check out. So I will wait before posting, in case it is not needed, and to avoid an overflow of information to spermwhale_warrior all at one time.

The Radeon firmware is coded into the kernel in NetBSD/OpenBSD and is being loading.
The BusID PCI:1:5:0 is also correct. J65nko post is the next step.

Alternatively you can look for working xorg.conf for a similar laptop in NetBSD. On a quick search I found this published, working, xorg.conf for a HP Pavilion laptop with an ati card. It is for OpenBSD but the device naming conventions are the same.

I did the changes you advised,
plus I change the radeon driver for the vesa one.
The result is, that X doesn't start anymore, leaving the screen alone.
Here is the new xorg.0.log, which changed a little : http://pastebin.ca/2389280
Now, he said he finds no screens ...

I am also going to assume that the link to the xorg.conf I posted also did not work.

There is another option which is to try the x11/xf86-video-radeonhd driver.
You would remove xf86-video-radeon and install xf86-video-radeonhd. Then edit the xorg.conf as described in the OpenBSD upgrade guide.

Originally Posted by shep;47609There is another option which is to try the [nport

x11/xf86-video-radeonhd[/nport] driver. You would remove xf86-video-radeon and install xf86-video-radeonhd. Then edit the xorg.conf as described in the OpenBSD upgrade guide.

That assumes that modular Xorg was installed, I think. If instead X was installed from the NetBSD distribution sets, one could try the radeonhd driver that's already installed. Either way it's a good idea as this driver seems targeted at the kind of chip he has.